Automatic switch.



Patented May 4, 1909.

.....H c. k.

UNITED STATES PATENT' ADoLPH w. soHRAMM, or RIVERToN, NEw JERSEY, AND ALFRED E. oswALD, 0E PHILA- DELPmA, PENNSYLVANIA, AssiGNoRs To ELECTRO DENTAL MANUFACTURING con- PANY, oEPHILApELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, Aoo'RPoRA'rIoN or. PENNSYLVANIA.

l AUTOMATIC swiTcH.

specification of Lettersratent; 'Patented may 4, 19091 Application filedAugust` 29, 1907." Serial No. '$90,677.

To all whom it may concern: l

Be it known that we, -ADOLPH W. SCHRAMM and ALFRED E. OswALD, citizens of the United States, residing in Riverton, New Jersey, and Philadelphia', Pennsylvania, respectively, have invented certain Improvements in Automatic Switches, of which the l following is a specification.v

@ne object of `our invention is to provide a liuld controlled device for making and breaking an electric circuiti, which shall not onlyl bek relatively simple in construction and certain.

in action, but shall have its partsso arranged as to constltute a qu-ick break switch. A further obj ect of our invention is to provide a fluid actuated electric switch of such a beingqhad to the accompanying drawings, in

whic

Figure 1., is a perspective View illustrating the referred arrangement andconstruc'tion of t e apparatus comprising our invention; Fig. l2, is a vertical section illustrating the devation of one of the switch members, showing in dotted lines the position occu ied when the electric circuit is closed, and ig. 4, isa vertical section of one side of the switch-supporting structure, showing in detail the connection between the air pipe andthe diaphragm chamber.

In the al, ove drawings Arepresents a base plate or other suitable supporting structure,

rubber, rubber fabric or other whichinA the present instance is provided with an annular flange or rib a, forming withl a cylindrical cap or cover B, a'diaphragm i chamber. This cover is secured to the baseplate by screws a and has confined between 1t and the iangel a a circular dia hragm b of exible, airtight material. The base portion has a tubu- -lar^lug a2 whose passage communicates with the interior of the diaphragm chamber under the diaphragm t v.and which has coupled to it a three way valve C. The valve casing has in it four passages, one communicating with the passage of the lug a2 and a-second passage 'c in line with the -irst and openinginto the atmos here. Of the -two remaining passages In the4 valve easing the upper one c' connects to an'air pump while the other c2 leads to an air reservoir. The. valve plug c3 has av T-sha ed passage capable of being made to simu taneously connect an three of thepassages. in the valve casing W ile shutting ofi the fourth. While the greater portionofthe passageag ma be ofa relatively larger caliber we preferabiy place in it a plug m having a relatively reduced passage m and e provide a fine mesh screen m2 overthe entrance tothe plug opening to prevent vthe admission Fof foreign odies thereto. By this `means we- 'throttlethe'liow of fluid underl verse bar (Z-journaledin lugs a3 carried by'y the cover B of .the diaphragm chamber and I extends in both directions from the -bar d, tail construction of the diaphragm chamber and its associated parts; Fig. 3is a side eleoppositesaid screw and in line therewith isv a contact piece d5, in electrical connection with a'metallic plate d8 forming a terminal. Extending upwardly from the .transverse bar or member d is an arm el and to the up-I per end of-this is connected one en d of a spring F which has fixed to its opposite end atnut f, A screw f enters a threaded opening in this piecejand is in-turn heldin position by an lL-sha ed piece j' 2 mountedl u on a supporting brac et or standard f 3'attac ed to or integral with the main .supporting structure A; the various parts beingl so designedathat any desiredldegree of tension may be placed upon the'spring F by properly adjusting the screwf. i

On opposite sides of one end of the base structure A aremounted two blocks g each carrying an angular. ieee 'gf preferably forked at its upper' en 'and forming abutments inv which 'are bearingsA forthe reception of horizontal knife e es. A fleXib e metal ribbon H is, prefera 1yv though not necessarily, bent `or corrugated, as illustrated in Fig. 3, so-as to be capable of varying its overall lengthjunder longitudinal compression, Aand at each end has fastened to it a thinhard piece h forming a knife edge constructed to fit into the bearings formed in the abutments g". .The body of the spring ribbonl H projects beyond t-he knife edges between the -forks'of said abutments g so as toprevent sidewise: motion ofthe knife edges in their bearings. j- 4 Y From Fi 3, it willbe seen that there are two sets o corrugationsv h2 formed in the spring member H, one set on each side of a straight middle section, which has soldered or otherwise suitably fixed to it a platinum or silverl contact piece ha, the whole being so arranged that when the said spring member H is -mounted with its knife edges in their bearings, the contact piece h3 is intersected by a `straight line between the screw d* and the contact piece d5.. Plates of insulating *material g4 are-interpo'sed between the blocks g and the abutmen'ts g.. A There is connected to one of the said abutments g/ a wire orl vother conductor g6 whereby it is placed in electrical connection with the tjerminal lc of the switch K, but inasmuch. asl this latter switch forms no part of thepresent invention, it has not been illustrated in full, as it is fully described and claimed in an application for United States Patent No. 389,068, filed August 1-7, "1907.5 It may, however, be noted that said switch is of thev normally closed type, and has two spring members-k and k2 so mounted'uponfaj supporting structure c'scarried by the base plate'A, as to always tendto enga e each. other. -They are insulated from sai strucv ture and from each other by insulating bushings c4 and are designed to be separated 4under predetermined conditions, by a piece of insulating material not shown. From the terminal of the member k2 of thisswitch a connection c leads to a binding post mount# ed upon but insulated from a terminal plate carried by the base plate A, the rear end of this binding post being shown in Fig. 1, at k6. The metallic plate d'8 is connected to the lower contact piece d5 carried by the lever D and is in turn connected through a4 line joining .tact

, upper side of the line joining t bearings of the pieces g wire or small cable (Z7 witha second binding post Z9 also mounted on the terminal platel which carries the binding post 7c.

It may be noted that the corrugated spring member H, forming one'of the movable members of ourvimproved switch, is so designed that when its knife edges are mounted so as to support it between the two abutments'g,

' it is as a whole in a condition of compression and assumes the general bowed position indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 3, with its contact piecev ha some distance below a straight the two knife edge bearings. In addition, the various parts of the device associatedwith the lever D are so adjusted that when there is no fluid pressure exerted against the diaphragm b, the spring F causes the contact h3 of the spring member H to rest against and be in electrical connection with the contact d5 carried by said lever D. As a consequence there is a closed electrical circuit through the apparatus from the binding post dg through the cable (i7, plate d8, contact d5, contact piece h3,- through one half of the spring member H to one of the abutments'g,

wire 96 to the member c of switch K', through the member k2 of said switch and cable c to the second binding post ko. The spring F being ad'usted to exert a vcertain pullu on,

the arm j the admission of air or other uid under pressure through the pipe c and conduit a2 to the under side of the diaphragm b, will force the latter upwardly so as to turn the cross bar b ofthe lever D inthe bearin s a3,thus in eect turning the lever on its frigicrum. The spring F, iowever, resists this turning tendency, so that as the pressureincreases on the diaphragm, the lever D is gradually moved so las to raise its end with the contactd5, and since the middle part of the spring member H is engaged by this consaid ever D until the `middle part ofthe said member with the contact h3 asses to the lie knife edge When -this occurs iece d5, it also is moved upwardly byv the corrugations h2, which have hitherto been under com ression as the contact iecev h3 was raised (y the contact d5, are at li erty to n Q15 expand, a' the spring member'H, as a whole suddenly movesv to an -upwardly bowed position, theA curvature being limited by the'stop screw d4.' It will be noted that the'rnovement of the contact piece h3 intoi this upper position -is a suddenvone, so that the electrical connection between itand the v contact piece d5 is quickly broken, thereby o enin the circuit throu h the a aratus P g PP -without causing or permitting any injurious arcing. If now, from any cause, there is a fall in the pressure of the fluid in the diaphragmfchamber, the lever Dis gradually permitted to turn onA its fulcrum so as to move downwardly its long arm with the screw d4. Such downward movement at rst merely reduces the amount of upward curval ture in the spring member H, vsince thestop Screwd4 presses down the'piecejb3 and in so doing compresses the. corrugations h2. As

soon, however, as the lever has mved'sufficiently to again bring said contact piece h3 to thelow'er side of the straight line joining theknife edge bearingsthe spring member H y will a lain suddenly assume its downwardlyv bowe position, wliichis limited bythe engagement ofthe contactpiece h3 with the contact piece d5, so that the electrical circuit through the apparatus is thereby again completed.

` the predetermined point, an stopped when,

upon operation of the pum thepressure has been caused to rise to anotl er predetermined point. These two points at which the electrical circuit is completed and broken are determined by the adjustment of the two screwsol4 and (Z5, for it: is obvious that by slacking off or unscrewing the latter of these, a much greater upward -movement of the lever D is necessary before the spring memb erH is caused to break the electrical circuit'.

Similarly` by backing off the screw d, the distance through which it'is necessaryto move the lever downward before the s ring member H completes the circuit, may ve increased as desired. The actual ressures at which the device operates may life re ulated by the adjustment of the screwf w ich, as is ob.- vious,v varies the amount; of tension on the spring F.

Any rapidly varying pressure in the pi .e

c is revented from-causing vibration of t e' diap ragmand consequently ofthe lever D, by the small orifice plug m, which as before noted, serves to throttle the flowof air to and from the diaphragm chambei. it is to be noted that by mountin the `lever Dupon the cover Bwe are enable to expeditiously replace for examine the diaphraf m b, for it yis obvious that these parts may e removed as onepiece and that without disturbing any other part of the mechanism with the exception o the spring F, which is preferably detached from the arm de. Again, it willbe 7'seen that the corrugated metal ribbonH' may be quickly removed vfrom its bearings should it by any means become injured or' re uire adjustment.

y providing the valve C it is possiblefto greatly extend the field of usefulness of our invention when it is used in connection with an air compressing plant such as that de- 'through the passage c of the valve C.

lone to the other of said positions.

scribed and. claimed in the application of Russell and Schramm above referred to. For example, under ordinary working conditions it would be limpossible to use the pump-driving motor, which is-ordinarily connected in circuit with the switch above referred to, as lonO as the air pressure, admitted through the passage c2 of the valve C to the under side of the diaphragm, is above that at which the switch was designed to cl0se. In Vother words, the switch being moved to its open position by the rise in air pressure, would remain in such open position until this airpressure had fallen to some predetermined point, so that the motor could not be started and used for any other purpose. By providing the valve C, however, it is possible to cut 0H the passage c2 leading to the reservoir and to permit the high pressure air from under the diaphragm to exhaust This, by permitting the switch toclos'e, will permit it to complete the circuit ofthe motor, which may thereafter be employed for v any desired purpose independently of the air pump. By again turning the plug c3 of the valve C into the position shown in Fig. 4, the apparatus as a whole is restored toits normal automaticallyo erative condition.

4Wye c aim:

1. A switch consisting of two members of lwhich one has means for maintaining it in' one of two bowed positions and the other is capable of moving said first member from 2.' A switch consisting of two members of which one cons-istsV ofa piece of exible material, and two, fixed abutments placed to maintain said flexibley member 1n vone of two bowed positions, the second switch member being capable of moving said first member from one to the other of said positions.

3. A switch consisting of two members of which one has means for normally maintaining it in one of two bowed positions, and the other member is capable of moving said first member from one to the other of vsaid posi-- tions, with means for actuating said second member. I

4. A switch consisting of two members of which one is mounted so as to be movable from one to the other'of two positions, and thesecond member is placed to be o erative upon said first member .to cause suc movement, with an adjustable spring or springs for varying the conditions under which the,

second member operates' the first.

5. A switch consisting of two members of which one is mounted so as to be normally in one of two bowed positions, and the second member is placed to be operative 'u on said first member to move it from one to t e other of said positions, with means for adjusting the amount of bowing of the first member.

6. A switch consisting of a fiexible metal of two positions, a terminal connected tosaid metallic piece, and a second switch member for movlng sald corrugated piece from one po'- sition to the other, substantially as described.

8. A switch consisting of a corrugated metal piece provided at its ends with knife-edges', a supportingstructure having bearings forsaid knife edges and provided with a terminal electrically connected to said metal piece,

- with a second switch member having a contact placed to engage said corrugated piece to move the same from one to thel other of its two positions, substantially as -described. i

9. The combination of a supporting struc ture, a lever mounted thereon, an actuating device and operative on-the lever, a springl also o eratlve on the levervso as to oppose' f said evice, a'contact piece carried by the lever and forming one member of the switch, with a second switch member'consisting of a piece normally maintained in one `of two bowed positions' and capablel of engaging the contact on the lever when in one position,-

substantially as described. l f

10. A switchconsisting of a lever, means for moving the lever, two stops carried by the lever of which one consists ofa contact piece, with a member having means maintaining it in one of two bowed positions, the amount of its displacement bein limited by the stops of the lever, substantial y as described. L

11.V A switch consisting of a lever, means formoving the'lever, two stops' carried' by. the lever of whichA one -consists of acontact piece forming one Aof the switchmembers,

y wlth a second switch member having means maintaining it in one oftwo bowed positions, v

and constructed so that the amount of its displacement is limited 'by the stops of the lever,-

with means for adjustln'g'the t row of the lever, substantially as described.

12. A switch consisting of a lever, means for moving the lever, a springtendingto oppose movement of the lever in one direction,

a swltch contact carried by the' lever, av stop also carried' by the lever opposite'said contact, with a corrugated iece extending be tween the contact and t e stop vof the lever,

andan abutment for maintaining said corrugatedpiece in one of two bowed positions, 'substantially as described.

- length as to 13. An electric switch consisting'of a supporting' structure, two forked' abutments thereon each provided with al knife. edge bearing, a piece mounted between said abut` ments and having knife edgesoperative inv said bearings, said piece being of such a bowed position and having projections ex- .tending between the forks of the abutments,

be normally maintained in a.v

and a second'switch member lhaving actuating' means and capable of moving said bowed piece from oneto the other of its two. positions, substantially as described.-v

I l14.1Ihe combination'm a switch ofa sup' portingstructure, 4two abutments mounted thereon and' provided with knife edge bearings, a corrugated iece forming-one member of the switch an' .extending between said abutments, said piece being Aprovided withl knife edges engaging said bearings, means f or preventing transverse movement of the limfeA edges outof their bearings,'with a second switch membery operative on said piece and capable of moving itl from one tothe other of lts two posltions to open or close the switch, substantially asdescribed.

1-5. The combination in a'swltch of a lever, a spring operatlve on onefarm of said lever, a

device voperative on the lever to lmove it 1n Y opposition to said spring, a body of insulating materialcarri'e piece mounted on said insulating material, a terminal connected vto said contact, a stop also carried bythe insulating material opposite said contact, a air of abutments, a metallic piece mountedpbetween said abutments vin a bowed position and extending between the contact and the stop, with a second te'rby the lever, a contact ico minal connected to saidpiece', substantially as described. I 16. The combination of a casing having a m, 1a switch operatively connected iaphragm, a. conduit' for connecting' diaphra to the the casing" with a'sourceof iiui'd' under pressure, with a plug removably mounted within said 'conduit and having a passage whose bore is' reduced sufficiently to. materially casing;A

members, and means for actuatin" one of the members to cause movement o member, wlth consequent, operatlon of the 18. The combination of a supporting structure, an \osc1llatory arm mounted on said structure, anda switch having two .members of which one is carried by said. arm and the other is capableof being moved by said first member from one to the other of two lpositions. v

19. The combination of a supportin stru'cture, an oscillatory ;bar 4mounted t ereon,

1ro* i throttle the ilow of iluid into and out ofthe `17.'A switch consisting'of two v.movable the other' two arms von the bar, a spring opera-tive on one arm, switch operating/means connected names to this speeieation, in the presence of toA the second arm, and two switch members two subscribing witnesses.

of which one is carried by the second erin and ADOLPH W. SCHRAMM. the 'other is capable 0f being moved by the ALFRED E. OSWALD. rst member fron one to the other of two Witnesses:

positions. WILLIAM E. BRADLEY,

In testimony whereof, we have signed our Jos. H. KLEIN. 

